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Pet Health Columns

Experts on animal health from the college's clinics in Urbana and Chicago share their knowledge in informative columns written for animal owners. Scan the categories and tags at left for topics that interest you. Subscribe to our weekly Pet Health Columns email.

Miniature schnauzers are prone to getting pancreatitis With the holiday season upon us, many people want to include their pets in the festivities. As tempting as it may be to give your pet a feast of roasts, gravy, and stuffing, these and other high-fat people foods can be harmful to dogs and cats and could...

Reproductive Health, Vaccinations, Nutrition Are Key While some may consider it a bit premature to be thinking about spring, if you are a horse owner expecting a foal out of your mare or hoping to get your mare in foal, this is the perfect time to start planning. Dr. Igor Canisso, an equine theriogenologist at...

To prevent canker keep bedding clean and dry The word “canker” just sounds unpleasant, and to the horses that it affects, it is. Dr. Erica Secor, a veterinarian who is completing a three-year residency program in equine surgery at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, explains that canker “is the horseman’s term for...

Euthanasia is a tough and personal decision Almost all pet owners at one point or another face the question of euthanasia. Dr. Gary Brummet, a veterinarian who provides primary care for pets at University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, talks about this difficult experience and addresses some common questions and concerns of owners....

Heart Disease: Early Detection Is Key We hear about the risks and dangers heart disease poses to human lives all the time, but did you know that forms of heart disease could also impact your dog? Heart disease—a broad term that encompasses multiple diagnoses—is a very common disease in dogs and increases in prevalence with...

acupuncture on the rise as adjunct therapy Dr. Kara Lascola, a veterinarian at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, offers equine acupuncture to supplement conventional therapies and treatments given to her patients. She says her goal for acupuncture therapy is primarily to increase the comfort of patients. “I mainly use acupuncture to...

Tips for Halloween Pet Safety When Halloween comes, adults and kids alike enjoy the chance to dress up and eat more candy than usual. But these activities can have scary consequences for pets. The American Animal Hospital Association recommends being mindful of pets’ F.E.A.R.: food, environment, attire, and recovery to keep pets safe and happy....

…and that’s a good thing! With Halloween coming up, gory costumes and fake blood are all the rage. However, it is important to remember that blood is a very valuable commodity in the medical world. Many human conditions and emergencies require blood transfusions, which is why people are encouraged to donate blood regularly. In fact,...

Pet-Wildlife Interactions Endanger Both—and People It may seem like a harmless, if disgusting, remnant of your pet’s predator instinct when your cat—or maybe your very stealthy dog—presents you with its latest kill. The truth is, though, pet-wildlife interactions can be dangerous to both parties and have serious consequences for the conservation of species. “According to...

Low-stress handling maximizes safety and comfort Ever wonder how farmers manage that huge herd of cattle? With nothing more than a couple of people and maybe a farm dog, they are able to move hundreds of cattle from an open pasture into a barn or corral. As it turns out, farmers rely on techniques that...